Licensing guide · 5 minute read
Transition to Practice and the jurisprudence exam in Ontario.
Since 1 April 2025, internationally educated nurses in Ontario must complete a CNO-approved Transition to Practice course: online, usually 7 to 14 weeks, valid for 5 years. You must also pass the jurisprudence exam: 50 open-book questions on Ontario nursing law, $40 plus tax, valid for 5 years.
What is the Transition to Practice requirement?
Transition to Practice is a registration requirement the College of Nurses of Ontario introduced on 1 April 2025 for every RN and RPN applicant. It is step 5 of becoming a nurse in Ontario. Internationally educated nurses meet it by completing a CNO-approved Transition to Practice course. The courses focus on 31 safety-critical competencies for practising in Ontario.
- Format: online, usually 7 to 14 weeks in one term.
- Clinical placement: none.
- Valid for: 5 years from completion.
- Cost: set by each school, so check with the provider.
Work in CNO's Temporary Class does not count toward Transition to Practice.
Which Transition to Practice courses does CNO approve?
CNO lists eight approved providers:
- Centennial College
- Conestoga College
- Georgian College
- Ontario Internationally Educated Nurses Course Consortium (Windsor, Trent, Toronto Metropolitan and York universities)
- Ontario Public College Consortium, through OntarioLearn
- Seneca Polytechnic
- Toronto Metropolitan University, The Chang School
- University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies
Who does not need a Transition to Practice course?
You meet the requirement another way if you have a Canadian nursing degree or diploma from the past 3 years, current registration in another Canadian province in the same category, nursing practice in Canada in the past 3 years, or an approved Education Pathway completed in the past 3 years.
What is the jurisprudence exam?
The jurisprudence exam checks that you know the laws, regulations and CNO standards that govern nursing in Ontario. RN and RPN applicants write the same exam.
| Format | A five-chapter online module, then 50 multiple-choice questions |
|---|---|
| Topics | Nursing regulation, scope of practice, professional accountability, CNO practice standards, quality assurance |
| Rules | Open book, untimed, can be done over several sittings, must be written alone |
| Fee | $40 plus tax ($42 in 2027) |
| Attempts | Unlimited within 30 days of paying, with 1 hour between attempts |
| Valid for | 5 years after you pass |
When should I do these two steps?
CNO sends the jurisprudence exam payment link through your portal after you submit your application and fee. Both steps can run while you prepare for the NCLEX-RN, so many nurses complete them early to save time at the end. Contact CNO if you have no exam instructions within 10 days of applying.
The biggest step is still the NCLEXPrepare for it live, Monday to Friday.
See the classesFAQ
What else do nurses ask?
Is the CNO jurisprudence exam hard?
The CNO jurisprudence exam is open book and untimed, with unlimited attempts for 30 days after you pay. You still need to work through the five-chapter module, because the questions apply it to practice situations.
Does Transition to Practice include a clinical placement?
No. CNO-approved Transition to Practice courses are online, usually 7 to 14 weeks, with no clinical component.
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